Longitudinal study of oral hygiene and dietary habits among immigrant children in Sweden

Families immigrating to Sweden from Finland and Southern Europe (Greece, Yugoslavia, and Turkey), as well as Swedish control families of the same social class, were interviewed twice on their children's oral hygiene and dietary habits and on the parents' knowledge of oral health. The first interview was made on the immigrants' arrival in Sweden and the second one 30 months later. The material comprised 35 Finnish, 23 South-European and 54 Swedish families. During the observation period more immigrant than control children had complained about toothache. The frequency of toothbrushing was lower among the immigrants than among the Swedes at both interviews. The frequency of sweets consumption was significantly higher among the immigrants. Fewer immigrant than Swedish children had been examined or treated by a dentist before the first interview. There was no difference between the immigrants and the controls in channels of information about oral hygiene, the schools and the dentists being (he foremost source of information for both groups. The Swedish parents had a more competent knowledge of oral hygiene than the parents of the immigrant children. It was concluded that Finnish and South-European immigrant children definitely have a great need of preventive dentistry.